Big Sister Darcy
by FrankElza
Summary: Heath learns to understand the true meaning of fatherhood when an incident threatens his son's life and his reactions lead to undesired consequences for another that he loves. ONE-SHOT.


**Big Sister Darcy**

Twenty-eight year old Heath finished fixing the bed his twelve year old daughter, Darcy had been sleeping in. His other son Harley was asleep in his crib. Giving him a quick check Heath turns to Darcy.

"I'm just gonna jump in the shower. Are you right to keep an idea on the little fella?"

"Sure Dad." Darcy smiled, she loved being a big sister.

Darcy sat on the couch reading a magazine. Harley woke up and started to cry. Glancing at the bathroom she heard the shower still running. Sensing Harley was probably hungry she walked into the kitchen and made his formula up in a bottle like Heath had shown her once before. Unbeknown to her that the formula that she had used for Harley's bottle was in fact a tin that Heath had put on the counter to discard after it had been recalled due to the presence of an ingredient that has led to allergic reactions.

Gently picking up her brother, Darcy took him to the couch and held the bottle up to him. Darcy smiled as Harley took to the bottle.

After a few sips Harley started to cry and struggle and it didn't take long before a red rash appeared on Harley's face and limbs. Darcy didn't know what to do and stared at her brother in shock.

By now Heath had finished his shower so Darcy placed Harley down and bashed on the bathroom door.

"Dad! Dad! Come quick! Something's wrong with Harley!"

Heath flung open the door and raced out with only his lower half dressed, rushing over to his son.

"I was just feeding him then he came out in this rash."

Heath grabbed Harley in his arms and noticed the formula that was on the counter had been opened.

"Did you give him that formula on the counter?" Heath demanded.

"He woke up crying and I thought he was hungry." Darcy replied upset by her father's distress, beginning to doubt whether Harley had been hungry.

"You have no idea what you just done!" Heath snapped as he rushed around grabbing Harley's belonging and throwing a shirt on.

"What were you thinking Darcy? He wasn't meant to have that formula it's been taken off the market because it causes severe allergic reactions!"

"Dad I'm sorry." Darcy whispered.

"I don't have time for this Darcy! I have to get Harley to a hospital. Just go and stay over at your Uncle Brax's place. I don't want you here on your own."

"But Dad..."

"Now Darcy!" Heath yelled.

Darcy stared at her father, she didn't know Harley wasn't meant to have that formula, she didn't mean to hurt her brother or expect Heath to yell at her like that. She felt hurt.

Darcy quickly raced out of the house and into Brax's house across the hall. Heath grabbed his car keys and rushed his son to the hospital.

* * *

Brax came into his house from being outside and noticed Darcy sitting on his couch with her hands covering her face and crying.

"Darce?" Darcy turned to stare up at her Uncle. Brax sighed at Darcy's hurt appearance and walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Where's Heath?" He questioned, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"Dad's taken Harley to hospital and told me to stay here at your house. That's okay isn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah of course Darce. Why did Harley have to go the hospital?" Darcy turned away as more tears fell.

"Because of me. I gave him the wrong formula and now he's come out in a bad rash...I honestly didn't know he wasn't meant to have it and Dad got really mad at me." Darcy sobbed.

Brax rubbed her shoulder. He couldn't believe Heath had lost his temper with her when she didn't even know about the formula.

Brax sighed and walked into the kitchen getting his phone out. "Heath! When you get this give me a call back. You can explain to me why your daughter's at my house crying her eyes out, blaming herself for what happened to Harley after you yelled at her."

Brax hung up his phone after leaving Heath a voice mail and walked back into the living room watching his niece.

Not long after Casey arrive home from work. "Hey mate." Brax greeted. "Hey." Casey replied and noticed Darcy on the couch.

"Hey squirt, how you doing?" Darcy stared up at Casey, her eyes red from crying.

Upon seeing his niece upset Casey jumped over the back of the couch and wrapped his arms around her.

"Hey Darce what's up?" Casey gave a quick glance at Brax.

"It's a long story mate." Brax said. Casey gently rubbed Darcy's arms to comfort her.

"Dad's really angry at me because I made Harley really sick. He's in hospital."

"What?" Casey said shocked. "Sounds like he's had an allergic reaction to some formula Darcy gave him." Brax told.

"Hey, I'm sure that's not true Darce. Heath loves you." Darcy stared up at Casey.

"Then why'd he yell at me for?" She replied.

Casey looked at Brax and raised his eyebrows, Brax shrugging in response, both wondering the same thing as to why Heath wasn't there for his daughter.

* * *

The doctor checked over Harley giving him an Antihistamine shot and waited for his symptoms to cease.

"Is he gonna be okay doc?" Heath said in a panic. "He'll be fine. You got him here in time before he went into a full Anaphylactic shock. You can take him home in a few hours."

Heath nodded, feeling relieved. Heath glanced at his phone and saw he had a missed call from Brax. Listening to the message hit a nerve. He had been in such a panic over Harley he had lost his temper at his daughter.

"Boy have I made a real mess of this." He stated. When Harley was given the all clear, Heath held his baby boy in his arms relieved and headed home.

When Heath arrived home Bianca was unpacking her belongings. "Thanks for leaving the place such a mess." She said, looking at her partner. She had been away in the city on a teacher's conference for a few days.

"Where were you?" She asked. "Sorry babe, I had to take Harley to hospital."

Bianca stiffened, even though she was trying her best with Heath after their marriage fall out, having Harley around was still hard for her to cope after Rocco.

"Is he okay?" She asked. "Yeah just had an allergic reaction to the milk formula." Heath explained.

"How's that happen?" Heath sighed. "Darce gave him the wrong milk. She gave him the milk I had left on the counter to get rid of."

"Where's Darcy now?" Bianca asked concerned. "Over at Brax's. I better go and talk to her I kind of took it out on her without thinking. Do you mind keeping an eye on Harley?"

"Sure Heath, go and be there for your daughter." Bianca smiled and took Harley from Heath's arms. "Thanks."

Heath took a deep breath and readied himself for his talk with Darcy.

Casey was sitting on the couch talking quietly with Darcy when Heath stood in the doorway. Brax raised his eyebrows to greet him while Casey and Darcy turned to look at him.

"How's Harley?" Brax asked. "He's home. Bianca is looking after him...Darce?"

Darcy stared up at her father. Brax gestured his head at Casey to go and Casey stood up, following Brax outside.

Heath sat down next to Darcy on the couch. "Hey Darce." He said softly.

Darcy burst into tears again. "Dad I am so so sorry for hurting Harley. I never meant to. I just..."

"Shoosh Darce." Heath spoke firmly and wrapped his arm around her. "It's not your fault you weren't to know he wasn't meant to have that formula. It's my fault for having the wrong stuff lying on the counter."

"But I still should have waited for you. I was just trying to help."

"I know you were Darce and I should never have gone off on you like that. Do you forgive me?" Heath squeezed Darcy tighter and pulled her closer.

"Dad of course I forgive you. You're such a goofball." She smiled.

Heath gasped in shock. "Well this big goofball happens to be a Dad who loves his little girl very much." Heath replied, wrapping both arms around Darcy and kissing her head.

"Dad." Darcy whined. Heath pulled away.

"What ya goofball Dad can't kiss his favorite daughter?" Darcy smiled and shook her head, before resting her head back on her father's chest.

After a few moments Heath and Darcy pulled away again. "Now I think we've annoyed ya Uncle Brax long enough. Let's say we go home and have a nice night in watching some movies. Bianca's back from the city too."

"Really? That sounds great Dad." Darcy smiled and stood up off the couch, ready to race next door.

"Wait for me kiddo." Heath said and Darcy turned, smiling at her Dad. Heath got up and gently tapped Darcy on the back as he made his way outside to where Casey and Brax were talking.

"All good?" Brax asked.

"Do you mean did I fix my massive stuff up? Then yeah it's all good. Look thanks for looking after Darce today."

Brax nodded. "Don't I always get dragged into helping with your issues?" Brax smirked.

"Yeah alright, settle down big fella, we don't want ya getting a big head now." Heath replied, receiving a laugh from Casey.

"He already has one." Casey replied.

"Oi, whose side are you on?" Brax laughed as he ruffled Casey's hair.

Heath shook his head. "I'll leave you two to it. See ya later."

"Yeah see ya." "See ya mate." Casey and Brax replied.

Heath and Darcy walked back into their house across the hall.

"Bianca!" Darcy shouted and ran up to hug her. "Hey Darce."

Bianca glanced at Heath who gave her a nod that everything had been sorted. Darce then walked over to the crib and smiled at her baby brother, feeling relieved he was okay.

Heath wrapped his arm around Darcy, standing behind her. "It's almost time for his feed. You wanna help?" Heath asked.

Darcy turned to her father with a hesitant look. "Come on, you get him out and I'll get his milk."

Darcy picked her brother up and sat with him on the couch. Heath walked over to the couch, sitting down next to his daughter with Harley's bottle. Heath wrapped his arm around Darcy and handed her the bottle.

"Go on big sister." Darcy smiled at Harley and took the bottle from her father and started to feed Harley. Bianca smiled at the sight of Heath on the couch with his kids before continuing to unpack.

Heath brushed his hand over Darcy's hair. Nothing could describe the overwhelming love he felt at that moment as he held his two kids in his arms. Fatherhood had changed Heath for the better and nothing would ever change is mind back from feeling complete.


End file.
